Sonic and the Chaos Kingdom AU
by Cutegirlmayra1
Summary: Sonic is made king after his 23rd Birthday celebration, and let me tell you, he's not too thrilled about it. Only a little while later, Prince Shadow threatens his reign with a rebellious attack! War rages as Sonic must now be the king his father once was. Using the help of his friends, Chief Knight Knuckles the Barbarian, Tails the RoyalAdviser/CouncilMen/LeadStrategist,& Maid Amy
1. Chapter 1

Sonic and the Chaos Kingdom

Ch. 1

By: Cutegirlmayra(Apparently Previews are against the rules for fanfiction, :( So I'll have to write this early… This will NOT BE CONTINUED until Sonic Supers! Is done. I WAS going to write it today, but now I'm scared they may ban me or something if I don't get a chapter up T-T )

Far beyond rolling hills of brown checkerboard squares and green grass covered in spinning windmill flowers come the land known to all the people as…

The Chaos Kingdom!

Loved for its mysterious power of Chaos, with its beautiful Chaos Emeralds and Master Emerald, the land is prosperous and glorious.

There is much trade in this beautiful and ever shifting and changing world, as the Royals made up this land for peace and adventure! The first family? A very brave and heroic lot of hedgehogs.

However, this family, along with many other species of animals, had to choose a ruler.

The two leaders of the exploration, also being two hedgehogs, agreed to split the land into a fair cut.

However, over the years the other side grew greedy and wicked, and planned to take the land for themselves.

Hurt by their betrayal, the first king of the Chaos Kingdom banished the other hedgehog, as he vowed to take the whole of the Chaos Kingdom as his own!

To assure his victory the next time, the king bore a son, and had a scientist enhance him with unspeakable powers, even the very power… of chaos.

The son became immortal, and has ruled over the land for many scores of years. However… the real power lies in his Royal Adviser, who is the descendant of the scientist, and because of his influence over the son, he has declared the land as The Eggman Empire.

However long and hard the battle has become, the sons of the good king continue to rise and defeat the immortal Prince of the Eggman Kingdom, as will the next king… on his 23rd birthday be crowned the next good, just, and righteous ruler over the blessed land… of the Chaos Kingdom.

"Borrrrrinnnggg!"

"Really, my child. You mustn't be so rude about your family's history."

"But MOOOOMMMM it's BORRRINNGG!"

The Queen sighed, closing the book as her bouncing son got right back out of his covers, and raced around the edge of his bed, leaping and spin dashing all around.

"You are, without a doubt, the most rudest child I've ever met!" The Queen couldn't help but smile, "Although I do think the story is a bit exaggerated." She put the book down as her son leapt into her arms.

"I'm not rude! I'm brutally honest." He swung his spiny head to the side, giving her a cheeky grin.

"Alright, my _brutally honest_ little prince." She nuzzled his nose, making him try and swat her away, not liking the affectionate action apparently. "It's time for bed." She lifted him up and placed him back in the covers, but he kicked and squirmed the whole time.

"Mooommm! I can't go to bed NOWW! I got a kingdom to save! I've gotta kick that prince back to his own kingdom and go explore the uncharted lands outside the border line!" The prince continued to struggle, as the mother giggled and rolled her eyes, before finally pushing the covers to his sides down, and keeping him still.

She lowered her head close to his and kissed his nose. "That will have to wait, my little hero, for when you are older and more ready for such things." She got up and lowered the light next to her, as the prince huffed and pouted, folding his arms and looking rightfully cross.

"I CAN TO beat him… even now, no one can match my speed!" he gloated, and then puffed out a bit of air with his nose, as his pointy feet stuck out as two pyramids on the bedcover's surface.

"I won't say it twice, Sonic." She looked back at him, but with as much motherly patience and love as only she could have for the rambunctious prince. "When you are of age, you will take the crown, and only _then _can you rule and fight for the Chaos Kingdom's sakes." She shrugged her shoulders, "Until then… you can explore the courtyards and gardens of the palace."

"Been there, did that." He groaned, not liking the idea of being cooped up forever. "And I can't go back to the courtyard!... that weird maid girl keeps trying to get me to marry her." He stuck his tongue out.

"Ah yes… the Rose's little girl. She seems…" His mother looked back to him as she tucked him in, seeing his face wrinkle up in disgust. "Nice." She giggled out.

"She's weird."

"Most girls are, deary."

"…you aren't." he looked lovingly to his mother. "Your kinda cool."

"Well now.." she straightened up her back, and put her finger below her nose as she took a haughty stance. "That's absolutely right!" she cheered.

"Hahhaha! Don't take it to much to heart, mom!" he laughed, loving his mother's humor.

"Oh, pfft. I can take _any _compliment I receive and stretch it out as_ much_ as I want." She teased, and then kissed his forehead again. "Goodnight, my dear." She rubbed his head, and moved off the rather large bed in the royal chambers of the prince before he lifted up his head again.

"…Mom?" he called to her.

She had just opened the rather luxurious doors, but stopped at her first and foremost title that meant the world to her being mentioned. "Yes?" she turned around, her beautiful purple hair whipping around as she did so.

"…I.. um… I love.. uh.." he looked away. "I love you…"

"…I love you too, sweetie. So very.. very much." She smiled, and blew him a kiss. "Now go straight to sleep, or Mr. Prower will be furious with me if he finds you're bedtime stories are keeping you from your studies."

"Uck!" Sonic pretended to vomit, as his mother laughed and closed the door, as he fell back into his bed, and gripped the covers up to cover all of him, even up to his neck.

"One day… I'll be the coolest, strongest, and most bravest king that ever lived!" he whispered to himself. "I'll defeat that mean old prince, and I'll stop that evil scientist, and.. and… and I'll sit on the throne! But only after I explore the uncharted lands, of course." He closed his eyes, getting snug in his bed, and dreamed of the many adventures that his own land can provide him, and the many lands he'll claim in the name of the Chaos Kingdom… when he is of age, that is.

He dreamed of his 23 year old self… and how awesomely cool he is gonna be!

-Time Skip, to the day of Sonic's 23rd birthday-

"SSSONNNICCC!"

"Nope."

"I SWEAR ON THE CHAOS EMERALDS UPON ANGEL ISLAND-! GET DOWN FROM THERE! We're gonna be late! For your own coronation!"

"Eh. It's not that big of a deal."

"Your getting leafs all over the royal robe!"

"It will survive. It has for eons."

"Get down from that tree, Sonic… please. As your friend."

"What's going on?"

A young pink hedgehog in her high-end servant girl attire walked over to the backend courtyards of the palace grounds, and looked up to a tree which held a faint red and blue trace within them.

"Oh, Amy… I'm glad you're here." A yellow fox with two tails, due to an experiment his father, a scientist and army general, had preformed on himself, causing a mutation in his offspring. However, the apple doesn't fall to far from the tree… except, all he really inherited from his father was his brain, and not his brawn…

"Sonic won't come down. He's either afraid to be king, or he's afraid of the responsibility. I'm pretty sure it's the latter." Tails groaned, looking exhausted and stressed from all the planning he had to do.

Amy looked down and nodded, seeming to agree with his deductions.

"You know… if you weren't holding so many high ranking offices, you wouldn't have to worry about these things." Amy mentioned, holding a basket of water and some rag cloths within in, having just recently cleaned the throne room with some of her other maid friends as now they set up the room for the coronation.

"Yeah, don't remind me. I have to get the Priest in by this afternoon or-" he looked down at his sundial on his arm, serving as a modern day watch. "Sweet chaos! I have to pick him up right away!" he dashed from his position, and looked to Amy. "Please! You have to get Sonic to come down and perform the ceremony! I don't care how, hit the tree if you have too, but get. Him. DOWN." he then raced off in a panic, as Amy giggled and looked up to Sonic, turning cutely to address him.

She walked up to the tree, swaying herself as she 'Yo-whoo?'d up toward him.

"Go away."

Sonic lay on a branch, swinging his leg below and keeping the other bended and on the branch, as he plucked a leaf and then held it for a moment, only to release it and let it fall softly down to the ground.

"I have no desire to be king…"

"That's not what a very spunky boy of ten once told me."

Amy leaned on the tree, putting the bucket down and sitting, looking around at the busy people scrambling to stay on time and working so hard for a prince who didn't even want to be king.

"You know… your making these people's stress and panic levels go through the roof!" she exclaimed, and laughed below, shaking her head. "I mean, it's kinda mean…"

"Don't guilt trip me, I'm not suited to be king."

He kept plunking out leafs, and dropping them, his face not visible from her angle, as she looked up, and pouted cutely.

"Don't fool me then." She teased, getting up and moving around the tree, aiming to try and get a better glimpse of his face. When she saw it, she smiled and bounced a little on her heels. "Hehe! I know you just don't want to be cooped up here forever. You said so back then too… how you want to explore and go on adventures. But don't you have to beat Prince Shadow first? It's in legend right?" Amy saw him pluck another leaf, and felt she was being ignored, and frowned. "Don't ignore me…" she mumbled.

"He hasn't attacked since my father ruled… and even after he and my mother died, he still hasn't been much of a threat." He took his leaf and moved it behind him, letting it drop as it moved with the wind and his aim for her head was perfectly precise. "And it's no _legend _either."

Amy was a bit dumbfounded as the leaf landed on her nose, before she shook it off. "How did you..?"

"Know the wind." He simply stated, jumping up to another branch, causing it to shake, and then swung himself out of the tree.

The leafs all fell and ended up in a pile all over her. She shook herself out of it, as Sonic looked back and smiled, obviously still the prankster she knew and loved.

"Offph! Ack!" she had some leafs in her mouth and started dusting herself off from all of them. "But it… pfft! Can't be- Ha-chu! Real!" she shook her hair with her hands, seeing that some of her quills had jabbed some leafs into themselves. "An immortal prince? A evil scientist? War!? Heh, I haven't heard of war since my father's stories…" Amy's father was once a grand warrior, who fought along side the King's men. However, he was demoted after marrying someone outside of rank, and in return, he had to leave and settled himself as a farmer for the King, still being loyal even till the ends of his days. Her mother, was a beautiful peasant girl, who ended up working for the King even after her lover was demoted. After he was, they married and Amy was born, but her mother died of childbirth, leaving her and her father to work the farm. But once her father passed away, she took what she learned of her combat skills and-… couldn't become anything due to laws against women being warriors or knights, and was left to serve the king as a slave,… the only job she could get with her ranking to feed herself now.

But hey, if she wasn't a maid, she wouldn't have met the love of her life… Sonic The Hedgehog… Future King of The Chaos Kingdom… sadly, even if the King could marry who ever he deemed 'pretty' enough, she didn't think she stood a chance…

_But that wouldn't stop her from trying._

Sonic's mother was a huge influence on her, however, and she always aspired to be as beautiful and lady like as she was…. However, Sonic knew better, and fondly remembered his mother as being a secret tomboy.

He dusted off his hands as he walked on after seeing his little mischievous handy work had paid off and continued to speak out his concerns. He often confided in his friends, and today was definitely a day to stall with ramblings, it seems… "I just… I can't be stuck in here forever, Amy." He jumped slightly up to a curve that separated a neat cobble white path to a miniature flower bed, styled to look elegant as he gripped the pillar near to it for balance. "I used to think being king meant to have fun… but after learning so much about… Politics and Social classes I meant, come on! It's boring and dull, and no life for me." He looked at a pure gold and decorated arm ring that he wore on his right arm, and yanked it off and threw it behind him. "These silly ordainments make me feel like a Christmas tree! I just want to run wild! See my kingdom and mingle with my people!"

Amy leapt up and grabbed the decorative item, stumbling when finally catching it. "Sonic, I-I mean your highness-"

"Stop, you know I don't like titles." He started to climb up the pillar, making his way to the roof.

"A-ah! Well, Sonic, you can't run from your duties! I mean, maybe on your days off, b-b-but, everyone can't have their way!" She ran after him, not knowing if she really climb the pillar or not, and looking around so no one saw her try as she quickly tied her dress up so her legs were more exposed and started climbing up after him. "I mean, I want to be a free knight, but you don't see me wishing for a death sentence!"

"… I'll make you a judge or something." Sonic stated, walking along the roof as he kicked a stone off of it, and it went tumbling down to her. She looked up from the edge of the roof and ducked, as it went right over her head. She popped her head up only to look behind her, getting a little frightened by the height, and then climbing up to walk with him again.

"A-a judge?!" She stumbled after him, thinking that maybe if he was King, he could _overrule _the law about women not having those kinds of jobs. The excitement and startling realization of his words caused her to lose her step, as he dashed back and gripped her hand.

A moment passed that she looked up and into his emerald green eyes and was taken aback by his good looks, he was a handsome future king, after all…

"Yeah, you're pretty good hearted, and you're one of my closest friends." He pulled her back up, but that meant more toward him, as she grew flustered and blushed immensely, and her girly spirit kicked in and she almost drooped into his arms, wanting to be held by him. "I could trust with elective power. Who knows? You could even raise your status and pass yourself off as a born upper-class woman." He shrugged and nodded, not seeming to think much about what that could mean to someone in her situation.

Before she could wrap her arms around him and drift off into the lovely world of LaLaLand, he let her go and started to run up and balance himself on a string of rope, tied there with the land's flag and symbol of royalty on it. "You'd be a fair judge, and besides, you'd be free, right?" he started to move around, lifting his arms up to balance himself as Amy shook her head, getting out of her love struck moment and gasping as she noticed the stunt he was pulling.

Clamping her hands to her head, she had a mini-heart attack. "Sonic! What are you doing?"

"…Well,.." he sighed, before having his position wobble slightly before gaining his balance again. He looked back over to her, and grinned. "I'm escaping."

"What..?"

"Guards! The young prince is trying to flee again!"

Sonic looked over to see someone spy his little circus act, and smirked even more. His eyes narrowing, as he stated, "Challenge… accepted." He then jumped up, making Amy gasp in fright, before letting himself fall and grip the rope, giving him added power to sling shot himself up to the palace tower, where the castle began and the beautiful palace courtyard ended.

"After him!"

"Sonic! Sonic, be careful!"

"Always am, Amy!" Sonic looked back, giving her a wink as he landed and put his two fingers up together, and gestured a goodbye by placing it close to his head, and then flicking it away.

Amy whined in worry, before looking around after calling after him, then suddenly realized something horrible as she looked up. "how am I gonna get down..?" she looked off to the side, as if expecting Sonic to remember her predicament and dash in to help her down. When she realized he wasn't after the billion of archers that passed by her on the rooftops, she sighed and grabbed one by the tuff of his leather shirt under the plated armor on the outside. "I need to get down." she stated, almost scarily, as the boy nodded in pure fright.

"What? Oh no…" Tails was escorting the Priest when he heard the horn of warning, and knew Sonic must of tried to escape again…. Or was in the process of doing so. "Wait here please. Cream, send this man to get the book of our history- and I'll be right back!" he dashed off, looking around before flying up, being slightly ashamed of his tails and mutation before Sonic befriended him and taught him the amazing power of his tails.

Even the power of flight.

"Sonic!"

"At it again, eh!?"

"Wha-oah!"

"RUFFGH!"

"Knuckles! I'd thought you'd show up a little earlier. Maybe when I started for the roof..?"

"That's SIR Knuckles, ya little punk!"

"Haha! I love how you're the only person whose brave enough to say that to his future king."

"You're not king YET!"

Knuckles had opened a wooden door facing upward that flung to the side when opened, and jumped up through it with a battle axe, which Sonic had just dodged by split seconds, before jumping over Knuckles as he jumped up and started swinging the axe around him.

"Isn't escaping becoming a little old hat to you by now!?" The blood red echidna shouted out to him, as he threw his weapon out.

It landed right in front of Sonic, and forced him to skid to a halt as he turned around, fist up and ready.

"Not if you're the one chasing me, Knuxs!" he grinned, this may be his last time to run away…

"Come on, you have to be king! You're the only heir!" Knuckles gestured lazily to him, and took off his helmet, before setting it down and getting ready for the fist fight.

He rotated his arm, and grinned. "Didn't you learn anything as a prince?"

"Only that I can have you executed for stopping me from doing my pleasure." Sonic shrugged, suggesting a cruel threat as if it was just a casual conversation.

"heheh…heh…" Knuckles slowly realized that that could possibly be true, before he shook his head. "OHHH you're lying! King's have laws of the book to follow too!" Knuckles was right, according to the book of his people, there were things that Kings couldn't do, according to the laws written many centuries ago.

Sonic frowned, "Heh, you used to be so gullible." He rolled his eyes.

"Heh, well, I've read into it." Knuckles cracked his fists, getting ready to brawl any second now.

"Well, then. You must know about the trap door under you then…"

"Trap.. door..? Eeee….!?" Knuckles jumped to the side, as Sonic ran right past him. "H-huh..?"

"Fooled ya again, Knuckles! Guess some old dogs never do learn!"

"OHHHH SONIC!" Knuckles charged after him, "Archers! Aim for the gate!" he ordered.

"Yes, General!"

"I didn't come out of the Barbarian waste lands just to be servant over a lousy riffraft king! Bring him back and crown him a loser before I blow a cannon through his spiny head!" Now usually… that kind of talk would sound like treason. But Knuckles was a very loyal and dear friend to Sonic, so the men knew he was only letting out steam at being tricked again.

Yes,… they all assumed that he was tricked by Sonic… yet again.

"Ready! Aim! Remember to not shoot him…" Knuckles reminded them. "And fire!"

Sonic dodged a swarm of arrows, which were purposefully aimed in front of him, and not at him, as he had to figure out a way to climb the huge and massive stone wall that equally had a giant wooden gate to lock him into this doom.

With his family by his side, he used to leave the palace grounds and race off with his father, exploring and learning about the world around him. But since his father's sudden passing three years ago, from a sickness not known to Tails or anyone of the scientists and physicians. The mysterious death of Sonic's father lead to him not teaching Sonic about his Kingly duties, leading Tails to do the rest, since his father was killed in battle many years before. But his death was honorable, as his mother raised Tails before passing at her own due time, since she was a frail woman to begin with.

Sonic had to trust in his speed, as he stared at the wall, not moving.

"Cease fire!" Knuckles ordered, and looked over the roof, seeing him standing between the wall, and the arrow covered entrance to the gate. "Well, well, well… have we realized we can't get out of this yet?"

Sonic eyed his only way out, how impossible the chances were to scale something that huge, without any traction for his feet…

"Come on, Sonic now… we can't all escape fate. Hahaha!" Knuckles mocked him from above, as Amy raced to spot him through a window, and held her hand to her chest, feeling sorry for him.

Tails also ran up, seeing him trapped, and feeling bad for him too, but knowing he had to come with him anyway.

"Sonic… it's no use, please." Tails stepped out and behind him, offering his hand. "I'm here, remember? I'm your Royal Adviser for crying out loud. You don't have to go and do this alone…" his comforting words didn't fall on death ears, as Sonic's head turned around to slightly see him from the corner of his eye, stopping Tails from moving any further to him.

"Thanks Tails… I know…"

Tails smiled.

Before seeing a familiar cheeky grin cross Sonic's face.

"_But that doesn't mean I'm not gonna give it one last try!"_

"Sonic! No!"

"You're Majesty!"

"What is the young prince doing?"

"Somebody stop him before he hurts himself!"

"Do it, Sonic!"

The crowd stopped, and even Sonic, to look back at Amy who held her fists up and looked determined to support Sonic. "Do it! It's the last time you may be able too!" she shouted out.

"Quit down, house girl!" a lead maid whacked her with a dusting fan, as she held her head from the pain of it and glared at her, then looked back to Sonic.

Sonic stared back at her for a moment, before nodding and softly speaking out, "Thank you."

Amy could barely hear it, but she smiled, and nodded. "But you better come back if you do it, you hear me!?" she stuck her tongue out and giggled.

Sonic just nodded again to her, closing and reopening his eyes as he did so, and looked back to the wall.

"Err… Archers! Standby!" Knuckles called, as they got their arrows ready.

"What!? You can't shoot him now! He's the king! And besides, you'll get his cape even more dirtier than it is! It can't be filled with holes when he walks down to get crowned-! Sonic!" Tails was scolding Knuckles before Sonic took off.

Knuckles cried out fire, but Tails had more authority over him and yelled, "Cease fire!"

Sonic scaled up the wall, and for a moment, all eyes were on him. Some people gaped, some were in awe, and then there was a furious guy in the left corner of the screen who just looked ticked off at having all his hard work ruined by a run away king…

But Sonic scaled the height, and to him, it almost seemed like slow motion, as he could almost feel the sunlight, and hear the birds, even fell the fullness of the wind that he could only get traces of if he was out on the big tree in the courtyard at the right time.

He could feel his feet slipping though, without any traction, he couldn't go to far, but the momentum of what he did get was able to propel him this far.

He reached out for the sunlight, the top of the wall… his freedom…

"Give me that!" Knuckles took a crossbow from a solder next to him, and aimed…

He could feel the wind whirl past his hand, not just a small breeze drifting down, but he full power of the wind… just like when he was a kid and outside the wall with his family.

His eyes widened, … he could reach it! He could-!

_Ka-Cing!_

_Fssshhhhhhhhh_

_Clung-ding!_

An arrow had hit the edge where he was reaching too, and his reflex pulled his hand away from the arrow.

Now his body began to fall… as that single arrow fell with him, having bounced off the stone of the wall and having a few loosened pebbles fall with it.

Sonic was then grabbed by Tails as he helped him down to safety. "Are you alright!?" he then looked up to Knuckles, "Knuckles! You could of killed him!"

"By feinting his hand ..? Nah." Knuckles had one leg up on the edge of the roof's raised ring, and lowered his crossbow. "Maybe now he'll see that he can't so easily run from his responsibilities and people! Hmph." He tossed the crossbow to his men and jumped down, grabbing a flag that was raised and pulling it down with him to give him a safe trip down.

The man in the corner yanked his hair down and looked so bewildered… oh wait, I think he was the creative supervisor and decorator of the event… ohhh… that explains a lot.

"Some king he'll turn out to be." Knuckles walked over to Sonic, who was only started to get up on his knees, his face hidden from view.

Tails was kneeling with him, looking to him as any friend would when they see you didn't succeed at something that meant the world to you… but knew it was best that Sonic stayed… at least, for the kingdom…

He was so eager to be king as a kid… but now, learning the truth and weight of what that could mean… and not having his father to show him how it's done… must have been awfully painful for Sonic…

And very… very difficult, for a spirit who was born to run wild and free.

Especially with his talent and quick speed.

"Gggget up." Knuckles kicked Sonic to get up, not liking his attitude, as Tails looked back at Knuckles.

"Hey! Can't you be a little more sensitive right-"

"I didn't ask for you to defend me.. Tails.. stand down." Sonic slowly got up, his cape flowing behind him.

"B..but Sonic.." Tails looked back, not realizing there was a new man in front of him.

"….It's your highness." Sonic grabbed his cape and turned, before flinging it behind him. "And I have a coronation to attend." He walked, almost powerfully and a bit frighteningly by the two men, as he walked back into the castle part of the palace.

The two men looked to each other, as Knuckles nodded, "Just doing my job." He stated, and walked after Sonic, seeming to slightly hate his job at that moment.

Seemed Knuckles did care about Sonic… but wouldn't let it interfere with his Knighthood and vows to the kingdom. And one of those vows was to do what was best for the kingdom and people, and keeping their king would be good act… even if it meant Sonic was trapped…. For good this time.

As Sonic walked by, Amy tried to run up to him, but was stopped by a cold glance as he didn't even stop, and just moved on, not acknowledging her further than that.

She felt tears form in her eyes but shook them away. He was doing what he had to do… now that there was no way out… he had to be crowned…

And he had to be king.

-Coronation-

The citizen's crowded the gates in busy excitement as it finally opened, and they all shoved one another in and raced within the front courtyard, all excited and eagerly waiting to see their new king.

"And by this power, from the beginning of the time this fine land was claimed by the wielders of the Chaos Emeralds and Master Emerald,-" The priest when on with stating what the book of the Chaos Kingdom told him too, which had been done for many generations after generations.

Sonic knelt as the Priest blessed him and his family, and started giving him the right of kings.

But… in his eyes was nothingness… a dull world now shrouded in lost hopes and dreams, and in no wind… no wind was in that hollowed castle of sorrowful memories and empty rooms that once held dear and beloved friends and faces loved from long ago.

There was no pride.

There was no glory.

There was only a shell of a man.

Who was doing his duty… as he was born into this fate… and in doing so must perform the destiny that comes with it.

"And by this, the vow and the law, I dub thee, Sonic The Hedgehog…"

The citizen's remained silent, as a hush fell over them. They knew it was almost the time…

Amy watched in soft tears, seeing her true love swarmed in grief and misery at his birthright… and knowing that he could never escape being king now that he was one…

Tails stood next to the Priest, as he also was chief and head of the Counsel, but he just couldn't look at Sonic…

He couldn't see his bright, young, and full of potential friend forced to his knees and lose every scrap of freedom he ever desired…

But he looked up, being brave and knowing his place, and looked forward, taking a deep breath. This _had_ to happen. He knew this. Sonic _was_ King. By law, he had to take the throne…

But a part of his heart wanted him to _want _that power.. and that throne. Sonic had a good and noble heart,… there shouldn't be any other king! He'd be a good king… if he wasn't so rebellious… that is.

Knuckles stood outside, guarding the palace from any _unwanted visitors _as it were, but looked over his shoulder, hearing the priest's voice as he raised it louder and louder for the masses to hear outside.

With the doors open, the red carpet laid out, and the huge crowd outside, the priest lowered the crown onto Sonic's head. "I give you, my people, the next heir and right of rule… King Sonic!"

The people cheered, all but four who only clapped, as Sonic slowly rose up, and turned to walk out and stand before his people.

The people's faces were glowing, their eyes glued to the new king, as Sonic now had to make a statement…

He rose his hand, and the masses silenced themselves, not seeing Sonic since he was a young child, and only a few really remembered that happy time. When he was still… so very, very young and innocent.

"I…am Sonic. Your king, your protector, and your only aid." He began, scanning the crowd left and right. "I promise to uphold my duty-"

Tails looked up, holding back tears.

"To fight any evil that comes your way."

Knuckles smiled, but only for a second, as it quickly turned back to a frown, and he looked on.

"To lessen your burdens and hear your fears."

Amy took a step forward, wanting to look out the door and see Sonic, but the head maid just whacked her back into place.

"To dry your tears and give you less suffering. I can only say this… I want your lives to be _free, _I want your children to _smile, _and I want you to feel safe while pursuing your happiness and _dreams._ …That is all…"

The people roared with approval, as Sonic looked down and closed his eyes, before feeling it.

His eyes jolted back open, and he looked up. His quills were moving… and he could feel the wind.

He basked in the sunlight through the open gate, and outstretched his arms slightly.

He could feel it… as the sunset that day… he smiled.

But as quickly as he did he turned, walking back into his torturous cage and only clinging with a tightened fist to that feeling he just felt. The feeling…

_Of an opened world._

-In the Eggman Empire-

"So.. the bratt is king now, then?" Shadow sat, lazily on his throne, as a woman knelt before him, smiling.

"That is correct, you can trust these ears." She twitched her bat ears, and rose up, placing a hand on her hip and grinning. "I'm not paid to lie, you know."

"Lady Rouge, you are a spy, how can I trust that?" Shadow smirked, "But nonetheless… I got what I wanted." He frowned as quickly as he grinned, and looked to his adviser, grinning in the shadows, as his eyes shined by the window's light. "Do I strike now? It's been far too long."

"Well… we didn't poison the king and then wait for nothing, now did we?" The man turned to him, now revealing a bright white smile within the darkness, and a rather long and scruffy mustache.

"…So?" Shadow had been leaning to the side of his throne, his hand on chin, as he awaited his words.

The man laughed.

"Eggman, do I strike or not?" Shadow looked to be getting upset.

"Patience, young prince." Eggman moved out in front of him, rubbing his hands out in front of him as he stood, rather menacingly tall, in front of Shadow's throne, and smirked.

"We attack at dawn."

(Again, this will NOT BE CONTINUED till Sonic Supers! Is completed, but I hope you enjoyed the beginning : ) )


	2. Chapter 2

Sonic and the Chaos Kingdom

Ch.2

By: Cutegirlmayra (Holy molly, this is gonna be a GREAT story! :DDDD –remembers the plot- oh no…

Oh dear….

You're all gonna cry a lot.)

That night, Sonic hadn't returned to his room, instead, he had retired to the library, where he opened the book that had dubbed him king.

As he walked over and lazily flopped himself down on a seat, he let the moonlight hit the book through a rather large window consisting of three pillars with sharp tips at the end, all plastered together to make a really beautiful window that resembled a palace almost.

He continued to flip through the book, until reaching more of the legend within it.

However…. It is said that the immortal prince did not grow up evil. The scientist had a young granddaughter, whom the prince had grown very fond of as one of his closest friends.

This young human girl was sadly killed during an invasion by the Chaos Kingdom, and rumor has it that one of the knights threw his spear, and sadly, it struck her when she ran out to protect the prince.

In his rage, he tortured and killed many for the murder of his only true friend.

The scientist went mad as well, as he swore to find a cure to death, but only ended up killing himself with his own experiments.

The immortal prince vowed to revenge the young human girl by any means necessary, and he has tried to take over the kingdom and end the blood line of his father's foes ever sense…

Now begins the rules of the People-

Sonic closed the book, and leaned back in his chair, letting himself fall down in it as he looked outside. "…So. You didn't really care about the war and the fighting for power… did you?" he sighed, rubbing his head as someone barged open the door, and seemed to gasp for air as they looked around the room.

"Oh Sonic!" Tails gasped out, and finally let himself fall to his knees, walking over to Sonic in the darkness. "I was worried _sick _when they said you didn't return to your room…"

"I'm not escaping… not now anyway." Sonic… kinda reassured his friend, and looked away from him toward the window, holding a hand up to his chin to keep his head stationed there, and lifting a leg over his other one as his ankle remained on the others knee.

"…What are you reading?" Tails saw the book's title shine slightly in the moonlight, and his eyes widened. "…Are you reading the rules?"

"No… just looking back over the legend." He admitted, and took the book and tossed it to Tails. "I'm bored with it again." He stated, and smiled.

"Wh-hey!" Tails fumbled a little, but finally secured the book in his hands. "Are you crazy!? This book is centuries old! And sacred! It holds the laws, rules, regulations, legends, and statues of old! You can't just toss it around-"

"I realize you want to be Royal Historian Tails… but give it a rest." Sonic wasn't in the mood for this right now, as he shifted in his chair, laying his head back and putting his hands to each armrest, lowering his leg down from the other too, and seeming very bored. "Don't you have enough titles on your head as it is?"

"..Sonic." Tails looked insulted slightly, and walked over to put the book back on in it's glassed box and pillowed seating. "If you really hate all my jobs, you could fire me. And besides that, if the book _bores _you so much, why do you read it so often? At least twice a week." He shut the glassing around it and tapped the glass. "I really wish this was more heavily guarded…" he muttered, "If I was Royal Historian… I would keep it safe and out of sight…"

"…I like to be reminded how boring it is." Sonic got up from his chair, and folded his arms as he stood in front of his father's old desk. Staring at it, he began to live events when he used to jump up on his father's lap, as his father would laugh and admit he's working on a new ordinance that needed to be written, and didn't have time to play.

He would always say that, but the minute the guard closed the door, he would wrestle and play fight with Sonic, who loved it more than anything else in the world.

His dad would always be busy or gone, so those little moments were held close to his heart…

"…Sonic?"

"I can't be a great king like my father was… because I can't throw away the joys of life."

"…."

"My father would try and spend every second he could with me… but ended up always getting pulled away back into his duties. He'd fake a smile as he left… but I knew he wanted to spend more time with me, he just couldn't…"

"…Sonic,… you need to get some sleep. You have trials tomorrow…"

"…Yeah, well. I've always had to abide during a trial. Why is that? Can't a judge do that?" he turned back to Tails. "I'd like to sleep in for once. I'm 23 now,… can't I get a day off?"

"You have days off, but tomorrow isn't one of them." Tails shook his head, showing Sonic there was no way out of his morning routine.

Sonic groaned, and headed out with Tails. "I'm gonna be old and grow a white beard…"

"Hey, I don't remember a beard on your old man?"

"No.. that's cause he liked to keep a clean, and unthreatening face for his people… my Mom always liked him with a beard…"

"You're mom liked beards?"

"Oh yeah. She loved the burly man look."

"Oh… I remember you're mother very differently."

"Everyone does… she never acted her true self in public. Not even my father knew who she really was until after their arranged marriage."

"Haha! He did love your mother tho… he once told my dad, who then relayed it to me that she was, literally, love at first sight for him." Tails chuckled slightly, as they both walked down the hall to the royal chambers.

"Heh, that's the day he believed in it." Sonic smiled, remembering how his mother and father told that story _very differently. _"Did you know my mother wanted to run away?"

"What?!" Tails stopped, looking to Sonic in complete dumbfoundment. "Why!? I heard your father was-"

"A stud, right? That every woman wanted to be his wife, reguardless of his station of king, but that's a loud of-"

"Right, right. But I still heard he was handsome. Well built. Stuff like that."

"He had to fight a lot in his youth, Shadow never gave my dad a breather, as it were. But my mom once told me she was terrified to marry him, but when she warmed up to him, realized she had married a truly remarkable man, and fell in love with him." Sonic looked down and gestured his head to Tails, whispering… "When do I have to be forced to marry again?"

"26.. and you have to have born an heir by 28." He stated, smirking.

"….Right…. Right." He stated the first one, but then groaned on the second one. "And I can choose?"

"As long as you pick one before your 26, then yes, it's your choice." Tails grinned, and then flicked up his chest fur. "Or _I_ get the pleasure of picking one for you~" he beamed, teasing Sonic as he literally hated to see Tails being so smug about his role in leadership.

"I'd rather marry a frog."

"That _can _be arranged. I'll remember that."

"Please don't…"

"Hahaha! Before you start thinking about a future queen, maybe you should look into what the Eggman Empire has been doing lately."

They finally made it to his bedchambers, as Tails stopped at the door. "I should inform you, Knuckles has been keeping a close eye on the territory line lately… and he says it's too quiet. He wants to double the guard, but I'm not sure if he's just antsy or not."

"…Hmm. I'll try and give you an answer in the morning. I need to um… sleep and what not." Sonic opened his bedroom door, a huge room with a little to much space for Sonic's liking, with a giant king-size bed and red everywhere in the room, with gold decorative symbols of royalty all around it. At least he had a cool balcony… but they stationed guards on the roof now to make sure he didn't escape that way either.

Bummer really…

"Night, Tails." Sonic stated, having lost his anger with sorrow over the space of the day, greeting other important people from different lands and even meeting other royalty. He just wanted to dream the whole thing away… tried of being forced to do things he didn't want to do.

At least those people's stories at his dinner party were intriguing enough, but spiked his heart even more at realizing he'd never be able to visit those places as he wished. It would have to be scheduled, he'd have to stay at their palace, he'd have to be entertained by them, yadda yadda….Why can't he just explore the world without having so much 'honor' given to him? He didn't want a 'grand time' at the palace of the other place! He wanted more… he wanted the land, the people, the things they made and the brawls in the taverns. You can learn a lot about people and their culture through their taverns… so he heard.

"Goodnight…, your majesty." Tails bowed, as he reminded Sonic he was king, throwing him out of his ranting thoughts for a moment as Sonic twitched, and stared back at his friend.

"… You will forever more address me as Sonic. Unless in the presence of people who we need to impress. Come on, Tails. Don't be like that." Sonic looked hurt by Tails's 'etiquette' towards him. "We're closer friends than _that _mumbo jumbo."

"Haha, so you really aren't gonna act like a king now, are you? I thought that little act you pulled back at the wall meant you had changed…. To be honest, I'm glad you didn't." he winked, and began to walk about. "Night, Sonic! I'm glad you're still here… I was worried I lost a friend." He lazily waved behind him and started to sway as he walked, showing he was quite concerned before but now he's relaxing down from all the stress of the day.

"Heh… yeah… I'm still here." He closed the door, and climbed into bed.

Sighing, he started taking his royal robe off from on his shoulders, when he thought he heard something.

Sitting up, he looked around…

He didn't see anything, so he just flopped back down and tossed his robe away, something he knew was shaming his title, but he really couldn't care about clothes.

He started taking off his shoes when he felt his arm hit something, and started patting it down.

"….AMY!" he kicked her off from under the covers as she rolled out of the bed, and started to freak out as she crawled under the bed.

"Y-you really shouldn't just toss your cape like that..!" she spat out.

"GRRR!" he jumped down, chasing after her.

"Yikes! I know you said never to come in here like this b-but I was worried about you and so I hid to try and see you and I know you're upset cause you said to stop doing this after we grew up, but hey, I still get scared from nightmares at night, are you sure I can't still come back in here, and another thing-" she was rambling in her fright, knowing full well he could catch her at anytime, and quickly ran around the room, jumping out of his grasp at the last moment, knowing how his body worked when he ran and how he moved, so she was able to predict his movements. She crawled across the bed and grabbed the royal robe, draping it over the correct holder for it in his room before racing under the bed again.

"IT'S A ROBE." He grumbled out, but you could hear how upset he was in his voice, as he literally slid down and tried to grab her from under his bed. "COME HERE."

"I-I-I-Is that an order?!"

"NOW!"

"I'm taking that as a suggestion!"

"DANG IT, AMY! You know I wouldn't force someone with an order!"

"You do it all the time!"

"I can break my vow I made as a kid as much as I want! It's not your business!" he clawed at her with his arm, but she was able to stay on the far side and not get caught. He raced to the other side and finally got a hold of her ankle as she tried to rush to the other side to escape him. "Ah-ha!" he pulled her out, and she screamed.

"Shh!" he covered her mouth, sitting down and holding her in front of him, grabbing her waist to keep her there while a guard tapped the roof.

"Your highness?"

Sonic gritted his teeth, having sweat trinkle down the side of his head. If by some awkward chance the guard leaped down and saw Sonic with a WOMAN in his room,… well, it wouldn't be good for his image. Sonic threw Amy on the bed, and let her go by her waist, and placed his pointer finger up to his mouth. "Shush!" he shouted a whispered command and slowly moved over to the balcony, waving up at the two guards above.

"Everything's fine! Hehe~ I'm just…uh, exercising." He stretched out his arm to the side. "Anyway, I'm gonna close the windows now. Night, guys!" he gave the biggest grin he could to fake out the guards, and closed the windows, turning to see Amy was gone, and narrowing his eyes, peering around the room.

He slowly bent down a little and walked across the room, before heard a movement in his large wardrobe and opened the wooden doors on it. Glaring down at her attempt of bundling up in the clothes to hide herself.

She blinked her only eye that wasn't covered in royal attire as some of her maid's clothes was still noticeable.

He huffed, and reached in, getting the clothes off of her and picking her up.

"No-no-no! Let me down! Sonic!" she also shouted out whispers and kicked back in protest as he set her down by the door.

"Get out of here! What do you think you're even doing anymore?!" he scolded her, gesturing the door to her. "I've had a pretty rotten day, mind you! Do you really think sneaking into my room AGAIN is going to 'improve' it somehow?"

"…I… I just wanted to make sure you were okay." She started tearing up, seeing as he was shouting at her, even if it was in whispers. "I'm sorry.. I'll go now." She opened the door and closed it very lightly, so no one heard her.

Sonic breathed heavily, before leaning on the door with his arms and putting his head to it. "Dang it… Amy… Amy wait!" he opened the door, and stopped her from leaving the hall way, moving her up against the wall with him so that the guard that passed by the around over the hall in front of them that Amy was about to go around the corner too didn't see them. "I'm sorry. Look, I'm fine." He stated, moving her away from his body as she was just momentarily held up close to him for a moment. "I'm not happy with this… but it's my life. I don't want you thinking you have to do me any favors." He stated.

"I didn't mean it like that! I just wanted to talk to you, maybe help you go through this." She stated. "And friends do favors for friends!" she shouted out, lightly gesturing that she would of stomped her foot if it weren't for the guard around the corner.

"Alright, alright. Thank you. But stop climbing into my bed, you know I hate how that looks." He looked away from her, as she started to smile.

He saw her smile, and returned it with his own, as the two started to laugh softly as they didn't want to be too loud.

Amy covered her mouth as Sonic did the same and she moved back into his arms, as he held her for a moment because he didn't want her muffled laughs to be heard.

"Now get your behind back to bed!" he moved her away and swung a leg at her butt, as she chuckled a moment and started on her way. "I swear, you're sooo werid!" he whispered loudly to her.

"You're weirdER!" she shouted quietly back.

"I don't see how that's right." Sonic shook his head to her, walking away, as she laughed again and spun forward, heading to the maid's rooms.

He actually felt some stress and tension die inside him, thanks to Amy's little stunt, he felt more tried and at ease. Maybe her little plan to cheer him up worked after all.

He went back inside before the guard turned the corner to walk down that hall way and got back into his bed.

-The next morning-

Knuckles was up, bright and early as one of his men handed him some warm meat on a dish. Ignoring the knife placed next to it, Knuckles just picked the bone up and held the giant piece of meat up and started biting into it. "Last night?"

"Went soundly sir. He didn't escape and no one got in."

"Excellent. Maybe he's finally giving in now and ready to be a proper king."

"…"

"You're suppose to laugh. HAHAAH!" Knuckles tore into his meat again, talking with his mouth full, as barbarians usually do. His men were… well, they got used to this behavior, but we're too proud to join him in his eating habits.

"I believe the king could be a good one. If he just had an outlet for all his pent up energy." The young man stated, having taken off his helmet to address his general, which was customary in the army.

"…Oh, is that so?" Knuckles stopped, swallowing and biting his foot again, but in a little size this time. "… you think Sonic's got what it takes?" he asked again.

"…I… I do, sir." The man stated boldly. "After all, he's a kind man. And he often spars with the new recruits, as they sometimes become homesick, he cheers them up with playful banter and some training advice."

"….Good man." Knuckles hit the meat to his chest, and walked on. "My warriors must be forever loyal to their king, and be sure to see the good in him. If you see the good in your king, you will be able to serve him full heartedly, and not just for honor, but for the kingdom's sake by which he asks you to defend." Knuckles took one more huge chunk out of the big piece of meat and put the bone back, having to move his mouth around to get all the meat in his mouth, but finally achieved his goal in the endeavor and had a 'healthy' breakfast. "Send the men to scout the outside walls, I want to make sure nothing is out of the ordinary, and anything from the territory lines?"

"No, sir. We've received the messengers from every post but the territory line, sir."

Knuckles's foot reached the ground with a solid sound that rang through the hall, as he slowly turned his head to the boy.

"…What did you just say?" he shifted himself to the boy.

"Everyone but THEM!?" he lifted the boy by the scruff of his neck's shirt and shook him. "DO YOU REALIZE WHAT THAT MEANS?! Why didn't you alert me immediately of that VITAL news before handing me food!?" Knuckles let the boy go with a bit of force, and ran to the guards stationed ahead of him. "I need men to guard every lousy inch of this place! Alert the king! And get the citizens to safety! We're riding up to the territory lines!"

"Captain!" Another solider, this one opening the doors to the main entrance of where the palace's main room was station, looked much older and wiser than the young guard boy beside him, and stopped to catch his breath once reaching Knuckles. "Come on, good man. Spit it out." Knuckles was kind enough to let the man catch his breath, before he looked up with worry at him.

"They've attacked! And they've managed to make it by the third ranks! They plowed through our defenses and trenches and are heading straight for Angel Island! They've already taken down the City of Square and are using it as a military offensive base. We're trapped at the water's edge, Captain!"

"…Oh no." Knuckles turned to the boy beside him, and hit him upside the head. "DO YOU GET IT NOW?!"

"Yes, sir! Sorry, sir! I didn't… I didn't know!"

"Well, now you do. Tell the guards to surround the palace, just incase this is a set up. I have to protect my- I mean, the kingdom's emeralds! You!" he pointed to the man who charged into the room for him. "Come with me!"

"Yes, my captain!" The man narrowed his eyes, showing that he was ready to fight, as Tails came rushing up around the corner.

"Knuckles! What's going on? I heard you shouting, and this time, it wasn't your usual ranting voice."

"Ranting voice?! Ugh, nevermind, Tails! We're under attack!"

"What!?"

"Alert Sonic and get me my army! I'm heading to the coast of Angel Island!"

Sonic was on his throne, bored out of his mind as he was sideways on it, one leg up on the throne and his arm up on the rest to hold his head up. He yawned, as two men bickered and protested, stating that the wagon was sabotaged and that the man next to him had tried to kill him.

"Well… do you hate the guy?" Sonic asked the other man.

"I…Why no, your majesty. I've never wanted to cause harm to anyone!" the man cried out, as the other man pointed to him and was held back by two of his friends.

"This man lies! He's hated me since I bought a farm that produces good soil! My king, please! He's trying to murder me!"

"Alright, alright, calm down." Sonic sat up, lifting his leg down and placing his hands on his head, rubbing it and bending down. "Ay, ay, aye…" he repeated in annoyance.

"Psst!"

"..Hmm?" Sonic looked to the side of him, seeing Amy below and to the side of where his throne, which was raised pretty high off the normal ground level, was pointing to a wheel.

She mouthed the words, 'Chip! Chip in the wheel!' and continued pointing to the wagon.

"…Ohhh." Sonic realized what she meant, and got up from his throne. "Alright." He stated, standing up. "You." he pointed to the man who claimed he was innocent. "Where did the wagon break or… he claims you altered it on."

"The wheel's left side, your majesty." He responded, bowing to his king.

"…Sir, I never asked the other man where the wagon broke to the other man. And you claimed earlier you've never looked at the wagon before. So how come you knew where the wagon's fault was?" he raised an eyebrow, as the man next to him cried out in hallelujahs.

"Y-…your majesty, I-"

"Send this man to jail for attempted murder and-"

*COUGH, COUGH* "EHEM."

"Uhh…" Sonic stopped to see Amy having a coughing fit, as she walked closer to his throne, looking around to make sure the head maid wasn't their to scold her, and coughed in her hand again.

"Coff!DamageofCoff!PrivatePropertyCoff!"

"…I mean, not for attempted murder.." Sonic waved his hands out in front of him, showing he was nulling that sentence. "But for damage of private property."

"Then, your highness, your stating this man must go to jail for 6 months instead of 7 to 9 years?" The Council man confirmed, as he was to supervise over the meeting instead of Tails, who usually decided to do it but decided to skip out to take care of other matters.

"..7 to 9 years.." Sonic's face looked to one of horror, as he looked to Amy, and realized why she had corrected him. "Ehem, yes. Yes, that's what I meant. Heh, heh." He sat down and covered his mouth as the Council man gave the order and the man was dragged away, kicking and screaming insults to the man that had arrested him.

"Thanks, Amy. I almost gave a severe punishment to that guy…" he whispered, but kept his hand up, not wanting anyone to see a king speaking to a servant, or praising one for helping him in a trial that matter.

"Hehe, I live to serve my king." She chimed, and winked to him.

"Ugh…" he awkwardly looked away, and moved his hand, using it to scratch his head and hold it up again.

"Why do you have to act like that?" Amy raised an eyebrow up, smiling proudly as she felt it was HER who solved the case, and placed her hands on her hips.

"I was about to ask you the same thing." Sonic stated, looking down at her and then giving her a kind grin.

"Hehe, you're not that spooked by it." She stated, and giggled again, facing him more directly now. "I've flirted with you since I was 6! Why on earth do you always shy away? You should be used to it by now."

"Heh, yeah well you-…!" he looked up over her shoulder and seemed terrified at something, before looking away and not finishing his sentence.

"Huh?" Amy blinked her eyes in confusion, before hearing the voice and fearing for her life.

"AND WHY, CHILD, ARE YOU FACING THE KING AT SUCH A CLOSE DISTANCE?! WERE YOU REALLY ATTEMPTING TO TALK TO HIM!?" The lead head maid slammed her broom into Amy's head, as she whimpered out a 'oww…w..w…" and gripped her head.

Sonic winced for her, wishing it didn't have to be this way… And felt truly sorry for her.

"NOW GET BACK TO WORK!" She shoved the broom into Amy's hands and stomped off, her large and fat frame leaving the room before turning at the door, holding her two fingers to her eyes and then shoving them in Amy's direction, warning her that she was watching.

Amy had sweat drops on the side of her face as she looked fearfully back at her boss, and then sighed, dusting in spot for a moment, about to move on.

"… you okay?" Sonic whispered down to her.

"…." Amy looked up to him, looking sad that she couldn't respond, but sent a charming smile his way with a thumbs up.

"….Heee~" he shone a fantastic grin her way, and gave her a wink. Showing he supported her and was glad she was okay.

Amy continued her work away from him and he watched her, eyes drooping down slightly, as he wished she wasn't a servant girl…

"Sonic dear, your bath is ready." His governess, a old bunny who was the mother of Cream, a chambermaid, bowed to Sonic as he sighed.

"Right… bath." He grimaced.

She smiled and giggled, "After all this time, you still hate taking baths. I would of thought by now that the young prince of the famous King of the Chaos Kingdom would have outgrown his fear of water."

"Vanilla…" he groaned out, embarrassed she would say that out loud when there were so many people here of high blood and wealth that had come to see the new king carry out the people's trials. "I have a question." He got off his throne and walked with her as they headed toward the glamorous and ginormous bath room that was pure white and slick to the bone. It was like a built in lake and sauna deep inside and under the castle grounds…

"What is it, my dear?" she asked, walking down the stairs to another hall. Sonic was so sick of hall after hall, as he had memorized each one as a baby, when he first learned he could speed around and not get caught by Vanilla when bath time usually came up. But he was always caught by hired trappers… as they ended up being paid to teach Vanilla how to capture him at his full speed. She soon just learned where his favorite hiding spots were, and if she made the best food, he would usually come out and let her bath him.

He was too old to really need someone to bath him, but by the pleasures of royalty, he still had to be bathed by his servants. Since he hated that rule, he only allowed Vanilla in to do the job.

"Why do they need me to solve petty trials like who chipped the wheels?" he asked, as she lifted his arm and started washing it. He was in the large dome of the royal bath house, where him and his father used to practice swimming together before he was finally old enough to just admit he hated the water. Still, his father used to the love taking baths, and sometimes invited his closest friends in for a public bath. Sonic was never comfortable with having anyone with him while he bathed though…

"Hmm… I do believe it's because the Counsel takes care of the bigger problems in the kingdom, realizing you, yourself, weren't trained by your father enough to be able to wisely make those decisions quite yet. You're still too inexperienced for the real challenging problems.." she admitted, always being honest with Sonic right down to the T.

Sonic washed his foot, not liking people touching his feet, as he heard her words and pouted. "I could do the big stuff…"

She giggled again. "Without… Miss Rose's help?"

"Huh?! H-how'd you-?" he freaked a bit, splashing in the shallow end of the large pool as he turned to her, blinking at her insight.

"It's my job to keep an eye on you, remember?" she winked.

"…Hmph. She's just there to give me pointers.." Sonic commented, puffing up a side of his face and folding his arms.

"So immature." She rolled her eyes. "You obviously need her for those trials more than you're letting on."

"…She's a good friend. I want to make her chief judge soon." Sonic stated, getting back to cleaning himself up.

"…A woman?" Vanilla stopped with handing him a washcloth as he said that. "You mean… you're going to change the law?"

"Of course. Women are more than capable of holding higher positions in society. I mean, they have to teach there sons anyway, why not teach their daughters too? More educated and capable people in the kingdom, the better the prosperity, right?"

"….Sonic… that is…" she was soft spoken for a moment, before smiling and having her face light up. "The most noblest and clever ideology I have ever heard."

"..So you'll support it?" Sonic turned to Vanilla.

"Of course!" she beamed. "Then my precious Cream and finally leave the labors of manual work and be a teacher like she's always wanted to be." She stated, and then looked to be about ready to cry. "To think… my precious daughter won't have to be a slave anymore…"

Sonic looked into each of Vanilla's eyes, seeing her begin to cry. "Why, it just makes me want to cry!"

Sonic reached up and hugged her, as she began to pour her heart out in the tears of her eyes.

"…This is the kind of king I want to be." Sonic stated, as Vanilla pulled away to look at him.

"What kind of king?" She asked.

"The kind that makes his people cry tears of joy." He smiled, "But not for long or anything! I want them to laugh more than cry." He explained himself further, as Vanilla scratched his head in praise.

"You will be a magnificent king! I hope they let you have that authority.. you're still so new to being king… even if you have been a prince and the Counsel has taken over the kingly roles… I do hope you prove to them that you can handle your own. Maybe then you can truly make the kingdom a land of life and adventure as it once was."

"Your highness!"

"W-woah!"

Sonic was caught off guard and tripped back, falling into the water and then bursting out from it's surface and clinging to Vanilla, still terrified of the water.

"We're under attack, sire!"

"H-huh?"

"When did this happen?" Vanilla asked, remembering when war raged when she was a young girl, and hoped Sonic wouldn't have to experience what his father went through…

"This morning! Apparently, at the crack of dawn! We didn't hear about it until latter this afternoon, but the armies are at war as we speak!"

"…Oh chaos…" Vanilla placed a hand up to her mouth, her tears beginning to withdraw as her fear took over her. "Not again."

"Wait, where's Knuckles then?" Sonic got out of the water, standing up now and having the water at his heels, helping Vanilla stand up as her dress was slightly drenched from leaning in to hug him from the water's edge.

"He's coming to the front lines, sire. We've got to get you to safety-!"

"Safety!? I need to fight!"

"Fight? But sire.. you have just been made King! You do not know the ways of-"

"War? My father taught me well, even as a boy. I may have lost three years where he could of taught me more about duties of a kings, but while he lived in my 20 years with him, I learned how to wield a sword and fight! I'm not afraid!"

"….."

"Sonic, he is, sadly, right."

"Vanilla…"

"You've never been to war before. Please listen to him, for at least now. Where is Tails? Let him advise you on what to do."

"….Fine. Where is Tails?"

-Battlegrounds near the coast of Angel Island-

"Knuckles! We can't hold them back much longer!"

"I know that you, dimwit! If they think they can steal MY emeralds…"

"..Y-your emeralds, sir?"

"I-I mean-! The Chaos Kingdom's emeralds! Of course!" Knuckles corrected himself quickly as he lead his men into a retreat. "We need more cover! Where is there some cover around here!?"

"We've got some rocks sir, they may-"

"Cause a rock slide when struck? It's too dangerous! Dang it! I won't have my men killed by lack of direction!" a huge canon was launched as the ball fired near Knuckles, causing him to duck as debris went everywhere from the ground it hit. "Fall back!" Knuckles shouted, "Fall back!"

Knuckles was born in the barbarian waste lands beyond the uncharted lands where many have failed to venture, due to it's unwritten perils and dangers. He had learned about a land with ancient wonders and jewels, and had plans to raid it once his lord and master of his village gave the command.

He was a proud warrior, but also led his brothers in arms with a kind heart, before he sailed to find the wonder of the Chaos Emeralds and the Master Emerald. Taken in by their beauty and lore of protecting the land with magical properties and enhancing hearts to their greater goods, he betrayed his land to try and protect them, not steal them, and claimed them in his own name.

Sonic's father had confronted his men who he had betrayed as Knuckles vowed allegiance to anyone who would protect these magnificent stones. Swearing that he had been blessed by them and his heart changed. Sonic's father took careful caution in trusting Knuckles, but before long, Knuckles had proven his worth and his soul's value in loyalty through battle and obedience to the king's wishes. He was then knighted, and quickly worked his way up to General over the King's Armies.

To this day, he still claims that the king of this land will be blessed with a good heart, as was his heart changed by the power of the Chaos Emeralds and the Master Emerald.

"Captain! We need a plan!" another barrage of canon fire and large boulders being swung on giant contraptions kept pounding the armies of the king back, as Knuckles ducked behind a poorly and quickly dug up trench.

"You call this a secured cover!?" Knuckles hated the trenches, as he saw it the worst way to fight. "It's a coward's game!" he cried out, remembering how many of his friends died in the last battles of his home and on this land. "We need better cover before we can attack!"

"There's nothing, sir! They pinned us against the sea and sand! All we have are rocks and earth!"

"Darn it!"

Another giant blast of canon fire came howling through the skies, as his men we're being struck to and fro, no matter how they tried to dodge, there was no cover.

-The Taken City of Square-

Shadow rose from the highest tower the city could provide, his royal cape of purple flying like a flag behind him and at his side, as he looked over the balcony, and placed his hands on the railings.

"..You seem quite tense, my _young _king." Eggman walked in, holding two glasses in his hands, as he gave one to Shadow.

"You know full well my age. I have seen plenty of battle and war… When will this all end?" he looked down, not even taking a sip of the drink as Eggman looked a little worrisome at his words.

"Why have it stop? We need it to continue in order to place _you _on the throne of the Chaos Kingdom! The Eggman Empire must-"

"Flourish? Under this war that never ends?" Shadow gestured to the robots they used to fight. "I don't even have my own people's allegiance to join the war! They try to leave my nation and escape to the Chaos Kingdom! I'm nothing but a sham, anyway… You are the one ruling… I'm merely a puppet monarchy, I do not deny it." Shadow turned his head away, still holding the rails with tighter conviction now. "I'm a disgrace."

"…Do you not remember who you're fighting for?" Eggman turned his body to lean on the rail, as he held his glass out in front of him. "I still remember… poor Maria's last words…"

The name struck Shadow to the core, as he began to twitch violently, his eyes widened, looking like an animal in rage as he sweat profusely, seeming to hold in his anger.

Eggman grinned evilly, seeing he struck the cord he wanted. He took a drink and looked back out over the battleground. "You don't even need to be out with a poisoned sword this time, Shadow. The new king is too weak and inexperienced to show his face in battle quite yet. Yes… they'll want to preserve him. It's the perfect time to act. His general must be at his wits ends, trying to figure out where to find good canon cover, who-ho-ho-ho!" Eggman lifted his head back and laughed, before drinking again.

"..M..Maria…" Shadow began to grow teary eyed, as Eggman looked down to him, and clicked his glass with his.

"Cheers! To not only revenge for the fallen, _but! _A bright new future for us and our _loyal _people." He drank up again, taking the last of the drink, and then shrugging and reaching over to Shadow's drink, drinking that too. "I'll be out making sure we get those Chaos Emeralds in safe care… We probably can swipe the Master Emerald too at this rate." He seemed pretty happy, as he danced his way out with the two empty glasses, and then kicked his legs up to click his heels and spin out the door. "Yippe!"

"…I… I must win." Shadow looked up, glaring at the armies of his timeless foe. "…Maria.. you all killed her! MARIAA!" he threw back his head and shouted her name, as Knuckles still had no clue what to do, Amy still swept the castle floors, Tails raced to the Emeralds alter on horse back, and Sonic struggled from being pushed in his room and kicked the ground as he was shoved into his chambers to be 'protected' by thousands of his men swarming the castle to keep him safe.

All he wanted was to help and fight back… could he really be the man and _KING _as his father once was?


	3. Chapter 3

Sonic and The Chaos Kingdom

Ch. 3

By: Cutegirlmayra (This is my kingdom come. Lol! Anyway, I had forgotten the next plot point of this story 0-0; so I had to read it again xD just the last chapter is all I needed. I was growing worried, reading through it and STILL NOT KNOWING where I was going with it… and then by a great miracle I had written where Tails was, and remembered a little more of what I wanted to do xD Anyway~ This should be exciting! Bet you never had that before though, have you? An author who forgot her plot? Lol! I mean, I remembered the MAIN PLOT but where I was heading with the beginning… anyway, I got it back, no worries~ I know '_kind of' _what to write now :D)

Frustrated beyond belief, Sonic kicked his door and moved over to the balcony, leaning over it, and looking around to find out what was happening. "What king sits and does nothing in the mist of a beginning war!?" he cried out, mostly to himself, as he just couldn't stand being confined. "…That's it." He looked up, seeing the guards up there, and quickly took a vase from his room.

"Yo-whoo?"

"Hmm?"

_WA-BANG!_

"Sorrrr-y!"

"Ohhh…"

Sonic jumped up on the roof, after hitting the guard out with the vase, and began tripping, kicking, and flipping other guards over his shoulder and down as they charged him, not wanting him to leave.

"Sorry, gentlemen! But I'm not one to stay still and remain silent!" he blasted through them with his super speed and came up to the castle gardens, part of the palace's splendid appeal. The place looked to be a Castle of medieval times fused and morphed with Palace like qualities. Maybe they were the one in the same? But either way, he wasn't in Arabia…

"Men! Stop the king! He could hurt himself!" A guard called out, as they quickly jumped from the roofs to try and secure him again.

"Pfft, hurt myself?! Do you guys even know who I am?" Sonic scoffed at them, and then smirked, seeing men coming from both sides of him as he stood up, spread his arms out, and spun off the roof.

"You're highness!" the guards clashed together, and then quickly adjusted their helmets and selves to look over the edge of the roof. "…Where did he..?"

Sonic had grabbed a tree branch, holding it down as he kept it from swinging up a moment to look back at the guards, grinning from ear to ear. "I'm Sonic! Sonic The Hedgehog!" He let the branch swing himself up and spin dashed through the guards like bowling pins, knocking them down as he used the momentum to bounce and spin into the gutters.

The gutters acted like a pin-ball machine, each turn bounced or hit him off into another corner or rail he skid on, still in ball form, as he even moved through rooms.

One was the maid compartments that he spun into as women shrieked and threw pieces of clothing up in the air, and he spun through another window where old counsel men's papers flew everywhere as they shouted out, "Gracious!" or "Beg your pardon!?".

Sonic's spin ball rolled finally into the stables of the knight's horses, as he jumped on one of them, and pulled out his royal robe and put it around his neck, having it stored in his quills for safe keeping.

"Alright, now which horse is mine…" he rubbed his hands together, as he now had the pick of the herd. "Emm…" he held a finger to his mouth and tapped it, looking around and examining the different horses, as he walked with a confident bounce in his step.

Then, a horse reared it's legs up, as Sonic turned around to look at whatever was causing a fuss.

A stable boy was trying to get a hold of a wild stallion it seemed. Just coming into the stable. "C-calm down, Wind Rider!" the boy exclaimed, trying to get a hold of the horse. "I-I know this is your first time away from your family… but you mustn't be afraid!"

"Yes, you mustn't." Sonic walked over to the boy, and smiled at the new horse. "Is this my new horse or a new knights' horse?"

"Ah! M-M-My king!" The poor stable boy looked like he might have a heart attack as he panicked and let the horse go, falling to his knees.

Luckily, the horse just fussed by flinging his head around, and hitting the ground with his front leg, banging his hoof down in defiance.

Sonic liked the look of the horse, "He seems spirited." He grinned, seeing the horse was a Blue Roan Gypsy Vanner, with a silver grey coat that faded into deep dark black on its legs and head, even its mane was black. Its hooves had a bit of hair on them though, and it's large and bulky stature make him a beautiful but powerful force to be reckoned with.

Sonic walked up and took the rope the boy was holding, "Quit kneeling, it's embarrassing." Sonic stated, reaching to try and pet the horse as it reared, showing a faint white mark that strangely resembled three spikes and a odd, almost smudged, oval circle.

Sonic smiled even more, as the black hair covered the mark.

"I think this is the start of a beautiful relationship… Wind Rider." He beamed, petting the horse as it finally settled down a bit, but was still jumpy.

"T-this is your horse, sir. And a thousand apologies. But didn't you know? The King of... well, I don't really know where, sir… but it was a birthday present! So I've heard…" he stated shyly getting up.

"Perfect! Then I won't feel guilty about stealing it then." Sonic grabbed a saddle and threw it on the stallion, as it looked ticked at it being on him.

"B-but sir! He's a tough one to handle! Perhaps, Storm Raider..?"

"Nope! I like this one!"

"Guards! Search the grounds! The King has escaped!"

Sonic and the stable boy turned to see the guards rushing outside.

"Sir? Are you running away?" The stable boy turned back to Sonic, looking heartbroken in a way.

Sonic hopped on the horse, knowing he couldn't run that far _and _have enough stamina to fight if necessary. He was hoping it was necessary. Having quickly gotten everything he needed on the saddle, he looked down at the boy, frowning. "Well, don't make it sound so new." He stated, and tried not to let the boy's sad tone bother him. He grinned, trying to be more a hero than a king, "I'll be back. I promise, kiddo." He winked. "Until then-HYAH!"

The horse reared, having it seemed as much energy to bolt as Sonic did, as it began to dash off.

"Sir! The door's aren't open yet!" The stable boy rushed to the exit as Sonic had another plan.

"No need!" he grabbed a hay fork and held it like a lance, aiming…

He launched it into the lever that pulled the board that held the door closed opened and as the door began to slowly open Wind Rider shoved it open with his head, shaking off the little pain it dealt him.

"YAAA-WHOO!" Sonic cheered, as the large wooden gates with lines of bolted iron began to slowly close. "Woah-woah-woah, come on!" he tried to get the horse to move faster, "Live up to your name, Rider!" he cried out, as the horse suddenly ducked his head down, a thing only wild horses really knew, which showed that this horse was foreign and trained later on in it's life.

It's speed increased and it just barely made it through the small crack of the gate.

"The king has escaped!"

"Ye-ha!" Sonic threw his head back, lifting a hand back and just letting the horse do its thing. "Now that's riding the wind!" he cried out, and headed toward where he knew the territory lines were.

"Okay, now Sonic, I'm gonna sneak the key to the door under and kick it to you, okay?" Amy whispered through the Royal Chambers doors, as she looked around, not seeing any guards, and dropped the key down. "Opps." She whispered, smiling, and turned around, leaning against the door.

She kicked the key back, "Opps!" she smirked, rolling her eyes and then pressed herself again the door. "Did you get it!?" she whispered, but didn't hear anything back. "Sonic?"

"The king is no where to be found!" "I heard he escaped on horseback!" "Does he seriously plan on fighting Shadow's forces?!" "Our land is doomed if he is slain!"

"…that lousy-!" She hit the door, "That was my only key!" she groaned out, whining a bit at how she lost her way into his room, but quickly ran off. "Why didn't you take me with you…" she slightly cried a little bit, wishing she could run away with him too…

Tails hurried to shove the Chaos Emeralds into a satchel bag and quickly looked to the Master Emerald. "…Forgive me." He sadly stated, as he knew he couldn't take it. It was too big and heavy, after all, for just little old him and his horse.

He threw the back over his shoulder, and mounted his horse, adjusting himself. "Come on, Tornado! Let's go! Ha!"

Tornado took off, a beautiful girl palomino horse with the longest hair to date, both on her tail and mane. White and a pretty page yellow, she had a streak of white on her muzzle and ran with powerful but pretty strides.

Tails made his way to the battlefield, looking for Knuckles and dodging canon fire as he ducked a few times to be extra safe. "Where's General Knuckles?" he pulled his horse back, making Tornado whine and trot in a circle.

"Over the trenches! Down farther!" the man pointed farther down the line, as a robot started firing canons that flamed with fire. They exploded upon impact of the ground, right some of the men fighting above the trenches. "What kind of magic is this!?" The man stated, not knowing what to do.

"That's no magic!" Tails took something small and round out of his bag, and pulled something out from it, before throwing it over the field.

The object landed as the robot stared at it, watching it roll before it exploded and the robot burst into flames.

The men gawked as Tails grinned, his horse a little spooked though, moving back slightly and jumping a bit from the blast. "That's technology!" Tails glared, having seen his father's work stolen from right under his nose!

He continued to move forward though, but was bent on continuing his father's work in weaponry. What he threw there was what his father called a grenade, but Tails perfected the design, allowing it to be smaller and able to be thrown farther distances, instead of using a catapult to launch it afar.

Tails finally got a glimpse of red, and grinned, "Knuckles!" he jumped down from his horse, as Tornado, having a motherly sense of love for Tails, maternally turned back and lowered her head, sniffing him.

"Tails! Well, fancy meeting you here!" Knuckles kid, seeing Tails handing a grenade to him. "What's this?"

"A grenade!"

"I thought you said you hadn't tested your father's late works yet?"

Tails pulled the device out from it again and threw it, destroying more approaching robots. "Who said I wasn't testing it now?" Tails stated, looking to Knuckles who just shrugged and copied him.

"Consider it tested. What are you doing here? You should be back with the king." Knuckles looked slightly upset, only looking at Tails for a moment, and keeping his head firmly looking forward, as his men spiked and slashed the robots apart, but those grenades' were really what Knuckles needed to dent that armor of theirs…

"I had to make a choice, and I chose my Lead Strategist title." Tails stated, and looked at the odds and started judging the proceedings of the battle. "How many men?"

"I HAD 12,000" he admitted.

"And?" Tails continued.

"…Well, I was late. I took some back up of about 3,000."

"So you have..?" Tails waited for a reply.

"…" Knuckles looked at him, and shifted in his spot. "Last recorded we had 7,000 or so…"

Tails's eyes widened. "And how many of our foes?"

"All our scouts are dead, Tails." Knuckles stated this with not only respect for his fallen men, but with grim anger too. "This is the worst we've ever had it… Shadow picked the best time to get us. The day after we pulled back to celebrate and protect the new king. DANG IT! They didn't even give us time to train Sonic to get out here!" He slammed his fist into the ground, and watched it fall apart, as Tails stared at it for a moment.

"…Knuckles… do that again." Tails stated.

"…You mean... this?" Knuckles punched the ground again, harder this time.

"…How fast did your men dig these trenches?" he asked.

"In a hurry, there not very good, if you stand up, they'll cover maybe your waist AT BEST, heh." Knuckles spat out some sand in his mouth.

"…How many?" he asked again, looking serious this time.

Knuckles saw Tails's face, and grinned, "I know that face, I knew your father for a short time, but whenever he had a brilliant, life saving idea, he made that face." Knuckles looked down, and then around, before turning back to Tails. "300. I can spare 300."

"Great." Tails held up his hand to the side, "We're gonna build some tunnels." He grinned.

Knuckles laughed and grinned right back, "It's nice to have you around, Mr. Prower!" Knuckles slammed his hand into Tails, and rushed to the left side to tell the men of there plan.

"Always a pleasure doing business with you, General!" Tails quickly got up and headed right. "You! On your knees! We're digging till we hit dirt!" Tails quickly got down and started just throwing dirt behind him.

With distractions still fighting the front maybe fourth line by now, Knuckles's men worked like crazy to dig the tunnels, as they were cautioned not to dig up…just… quite … yet.

Sonic rode through the battle lines, seeing the city falling to pieces and the robots terrorizing and stomping over dead soldiers and their fallen allies.

Robot pieces were scattered around with broken motionless bodies that were still upright, but wires cut and oil drained to remain stationary while the other robots just walked past them, firing canons off as they walked.

Sonic looked a bit frightened, having never seen metal beast before… Neither had his horse apparently, as it didn't like being pulled back, wanting to run.

"Come on, boy. There's no fear in war…" who was Sonic kidding, there was _plenty_ of it to go around. "Let's go." He kept his cool and headed for the beach, having heard that Knuckles was pinned against the ocean toward the floating Islands. The only way to them was a large stretch land, beneath it, was an ancient bridge system that kept the land upright, reaching all the way to the very island.

It was the only way up there… and it was safely guarded by the Chaos Kingdom's army.

_Until now._

Shadow looked down upon his balcony, and noticed the long red robe flying in the wind down below. In shock, he gripped the railing and tried to see better. "It can't be…" he flipped his own kingly purple cape and began walking into the tower's room, picking up his crown, and setting it on the opposite ear of where the Chaos Kingdom wore their crowns, and quickly moved down.

Eggman was relaxing, having a simulated sun, made of a huge lamp, giving him a tan before he saw Shadow come quickly down, looking in a hurry as he got up, snapped his finger, and got two robots to put his own robes on him. "Is there a problem? You seem to be in a hurry for something." The lamp was turned off and he quickly tried to follow after Shadow.

"I need a horse." Shadow stated, and looked at his swords, picking the one with a prototype gun embedded into the metal of the blade, able to be clicked from the handle. He drew it and looked it over, swishing it and practicing with it, judging it's weight and slid it into it's sheath.

"…You look as though you're planning on _making an introduction_!" Eggman grabbed Shadow, threateningly holding him up by the scruff of his neck. "Why are you _daring _to give them that honor?! We're winning!" he suddenly let him go, his whole scary threat act fading as he grinned from ear to ear and threw his arms up a little flamboyantly on 'we're winning!'.

"Are we?" Shadow was used to Eggman's treatment over him, and didn't even make a statement about it, but only got what he needed and quickly headed out.

"Look, you! There's no possible way on _**EARTH **_they'd let that good for nothing _**KING **_out on the battlefield!" Eggman pointed a finger and threatened Shadow with each step he took toward him, going back to his former act before-

"SIR, WE HAVE AN ISSUE."

"What?" Eggman turned around. "What issue?! A moment ago you said everything was going to plan!? Well, my plan, but still! It's perfectly unavoidable, their army is going to be backed up in a corner and _**DIE**_."

"YES… IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE FACT THAT OUR TROOPS ARE STUCK IN SAND PITS, THEN MAYBE YOU ARE CORRECT, ADVISOR EGGMAN." The robot responded.

"…Sand pits?" Eggman and Shadow both looked up to the room above them and quickly ran up the stairs, though, Eggman was taking too long to get up there.

"What in blue blazes is-!?..." Eggman gawked at the sight.

Outside the long platformed balcony walk was the battlefield… where a Tails's plan of the 'collapsing tunnel system' was already in effect.

All the men had to do was dig tunnels just below the sandy surface, and then collapse them when safely out, to have the robots fall and get stuck on their backs, or since the robots are too heavy, not be able to get out of the sand trap, since they couldn't get their huge metal foots on good footing to even hoist them out.

"WE DID IT!" Tails jumped in joy, seeing the robots unable to compute as men jumped in to stab them, hitting oil tanks or cutting wires when they finally did break through their metal exterior.

Some robots exploded, having the other robots around them get hit by the backfire and explode as well.

The men cheered, the battle had been won, for no robot could cross the ground now that there were so many sand tombs.

"Haha! Way to go, Tails!" Knuckles got Tails in an arm lock and proceed to give him a little brotherly noogie.

Suddenly…

A robot tried to step on its fallen comrades body, to maybe get over the sand trap.

The men stopped cheering.

"…Heh, heh…" Eggman grinned again, rolling his shoulders back and twitching his mustache slightly, adjusting his royal advisor's collar and patting Shadow's shoulder. "See? Still winning." Eggman hummed a cheery song as he moved on back down stairs to relax. Shadow wasn't convinced, and watched on, looking for what he thought he saw earlier…

The robots all followed after the first, as Knuckles released Tails from his hold on him. "Taaaillls!" Knuckles started running back, "Fall back! Protect the land bridge! Now!" the men, now fearful for their lives, began to fall back. "Darn it, men! Hold on to your courage, we've taken out most their fleet!"

"General! It takes five men to take down one, and three end up losing their lives!" A solder called to Knuckles as he continued to run but looked down to the ground, heartbroken at that sad fact.

Back when he was a barbarian, he acted just like those machines… walking on his fallen comrades to victory, only caring about his own fate.

He longed to live a carefree life one day, without war to worry about, but always was being questioned about his honor to his people, and had to keep fighting.

When the Chaos Emeralds, but most specifically the Master Emerald, purged his heart of all wrong doing, he saw the good of the world and the wrong of his own life… and quickly switched sides, just like how his heart had changed, so had his way of thinking… and life.

Now, to lose even one man broke his heart, and he wouldn't have his men drawn in fear and die in vane.

"We must stick together!" He cried out, "Let no man die without honor in the end! Honor shall win! Honor for Kingdom and Family! Honor!"

"Honor!" the men shouted back, and regrouped, gathering around the land bridge.

"ORDERS IN. DO NOT FIRE AT LAND BRIDGE. MUST KEEP INTACKED. PROCEED TO LASER WAREFARE." The first Robot who crossed the sand trap stated, as three behind him switched their canon arms and put away their canon shoulder guns… before drawing forth laser swords, pink in color from the heat that it was making to produce them from their data core. "STRIKE THE ARMY, LEAVE ONLY THE GENERAL AND STRAGESTIC ALIVE FOR TORTURE."

Tails gulped, and looked to Knuckles.

Knuckles looked to Tails's horse, and grabbed her reins. "You need to head back to Sonic, let him know what's happening." He walked out of position, the head of his men, and handed Tails his horses reins.

"W-what?! I can't leave you now, you may-!" Tails was in the pits of sorrow, thinking of leaving Knuckles and these men to ultimately…

Knuckles shook his head. "There's about 130 of them left or so.. we trenched about 700 Tails… 700 who killed half my men. Thanks to you, we may be able to protect what we can of Angel Island."

"…Knuckles.." Tails took his satchel out and let him peer inside.

Knuckles's eyes widened, but the real treasure of his life was still…"The Master Emerald!?" he asked, eyes alight, as he held Tails's shoulders.

"…No." he shook his head. "It's still there. I couldn't move it, its too big."

"…Oh." Knuckles's face turned to disappointment, before deep anger as he took out his battle axe, and glared at the robots, holding it up to them. "There's no way I'm letting these filthy metal scums who _don't even ha__**ve a life touch MY EMERALD**__._"

Tails felt Tornado shift, she was getting a little spooked and wondering what was too happen now.

"Go… I cannot leave my men." Knuckles didn't turn around, but only motioned his head slightly to the side, to let Tails know he was addressing him. "I have to fight for the sake of the Master Emerald, these men's lives, and for king and country."

"…Be careful,.. Knuckles.." Tails mounted his horse, and gave one last pity look to the island, and then looked bravely to Knuckles. "Don't let them cross that bridge!" he shouted out, and raced back to the castle.

"…Heh, yeah." Knuckles tilted his helmet down. "Alright, let's do this men." He took his place in front of his last remaining fourth line, down to less than they had before… He rolled his shoulders, and waited.

The robots marched up to a line, and also waited…

"…On my command…" Knuckles held his position, as his men also marched up with their swords, ready for charge.

One solder looked around at the line of robots and heard the power of their fire swords, as he didn't really know what else to call them, and sweat dripped down his forehead, as he breathed heavily through an open mouth.

Knuckles nudged him in the side, and gave him a friendly and reassuring grin. "Charge!" he commanded, and the solder nodded, as the rest of them charged onward, ready to fight till their last breath.

Knuckles dove in with a powerful hit and swing, leaving the first robot to wobble backwards as Knuckles tore it's chest armor off and slashed through the cords, leaving sparks and oil to fly out everywhere as it went down, trying to swing his laser sword arm at him, but Knuckles maneuvered out of the way with a backwards flip and landed soundly to the ground.

"If I can take out a robot with only a few hits, so can you!" he held up his oiled axe, as the men held up their swords and cheered. Rule one of being a general, motivate your team, no matter what.

Suddenly, Knuckles heard metal click behind him and turned around, a blue blur bounced on each robot, knocking them like dominos in a line as the 130 began to fall sideways, unable to get up.

"What on earth…?" Knuckles watched the bouncing blue ball until it landed, and a red robe flared behind him.

"…It… It can't be!"

"Knuckles! I FOUND SONIC!" Tails shouted, racing back to him as Sonic's horse's reins were in Tails's other hand.

"…The king is here?" the men looked to one another, astonished.

Sonic straightened up from his landing, still having his back toward the men, and pulled down on his gloves. "Heh, missed me, gentlemen?" Sonic turned around, showing off his signature smile and thumbs up.

The men cheered even louder, making Knuckles slightly jealous but he just smiled and walked up to Sonic.

"What do you think you're doing here? Aren't you a little too _green _to be out here?" Knuckles kid around, moving a hand to him as if gesturing for him to explain himself.

Sonic shrugged, looking like he was just here to have fun. "Last I checked, I was a brilliant _blue._" He grinned, and offered Knuckles his hand. "What do you say, General? Ready to take orders from a king again? Or are we still gonna have to fight?" he was referring to all the times Knuckles had to keep him in the castle walls, as Knuckles figured he'd escaped because he wasn't there to confront him like usual.

Knuckles scratched his head and weighed the possibly, looking over at the domino crushed army of Shadow's and looking back at Sonic, before cracking a lost cause smile and shaking his hand. "Alright, but you need to be careful. I can't lose you, or they're won't be a kingdom to go home too. Right, men?" he back at his small excuse for an army.

"Yes, sir!" they shouted out.

"Good. Sonic, these are what we have left."

"…left?" Sonic looked at the men, seeing the small number of them. "But what about-?"

"Gone." Knuckles stated, and looked down and adjusted his gloves. "We don't look back till after the battle, and even after that… you just try not to let it get to you." he stated, walking forward. "Alright men!" he clapped, "Guard the king! I need three of you to go and get reinforcements, take Tails with you."

"What!? I have to leave again?" Tails looked upset.

"Don't argue, and leave that horse here." Knuckles commanded, as Tails let the reins on Sonic's horse go and sadly had to start racing away with the other three.

"Alright, we charge." Knuckles stated, getting on his own horse as Sonic followed his lead. "Men, get a … oh yeah, nevermind." Knuckles scowled, realizing the men's horses were probably killed too. "Well, let's get'em." Knuckles didn't look that motivated anymore, but definitely knew he had to now take back the city with only a small amount of man power.

"Keep some men back here." Sonic stated, and looked behind him. "500 or so should stay by the bridge! Work it out amongst yourselves!" he called back, as the men looked to each other, confused by his request. "… Did I say something wrong?" Sonic looked to Knuckles, who rolled his eyes.

"You don't give _suggestions_, Sonic. You give orders." Knuckles turned around, "Alright, quit your squabbling! 700 stay behind, in the back!" he cried out, as the men obeyed immediately.

"…How do they know that's 700?" Sonic asked, a little impressed and interested at the way an army worked.

"Best guess." Knuckles started to move on after stating that, as Sonic smiled and slightly chuckled. "Don't laugh, war isn't funny, hedgehog…"

Sonic quit laughing and looked like he felt bad about being scolded, but didn't bother to fight with Knuckles on the matter. They started to slowly move around the sand traps, and even had to climb over a few, which they're horses could do with ease, as Shadow took his own horse and halted the army from moving forward, riding out, alone…

"…Is that?" Sonic leaned forward on his horse, trying for a better look.

"…Hmph, yeah… that's the prince, alright." Knuckles spat on the ground, not liking him one bit. "He's probably interested in you, your highness." Knuckles mocked, looking over to Sonic, as he smiled and raced on. "Wait, wha- SONIC! GET BACK HERE YOU DUMB MORON!"

Sonic stopped a few mere distances away from Shadow, but enough space to still have him in ear shot. "Heellooo!" he shouted, grinning. "I've read all about you!"

"..." Shadow stared at him, a serious expression the whole while, as his deep black obsidian horse, stacked with layers of pure black metal armor, grunted and shifted in it's spot.

"Uh.. haha, not a fan, to be honest." Sonic lowered his head, shaking it a bit, making a joke of the whole situation. "But I must say, I pictured you taller!" he raised his head, giving off a cheeky grin as Shadow glared and 'tck'd a bit out the side of his mouth, as his horse reared a little back, but not all the way up.

"You're nothing like your father… but you remind me a lot of one of your ancestors…" Shadow finally spoke back.

"Ah! He speaks!" Sonic looked giddy, like a kid, not knowing any better. "Was he this handsome." He flashed him one of his best smiles.

"…he was a fool, I killed him on our first encounter. It went a little something like this.."

Sonic lost his grin.

"Not much of a ah… Social man, are you?" Sonic tried to keep up the friendly act, but his face suddenly turned serious. "You've killed many of my family…"

"…They usually had an heir before they faced me… you're the youngest king I've fought to date." Shadow stated, lifting his head a little higher. "I'm almost impressed."

Sonic bowed his head slightly, "Thank you!"

"You misunderstand,… I'm impressed by your idiocy."

"….Oh." Sonic looked away. "How so? I'll be the youngest king to defeat you. I'd say that'd make one heck of an ending to a hundred year old legend."

"Yes,.. thanks for ending it so willingly." Shadow mocked, "Let me explain. Without an heir to the throne, I'll be able to sweep your land in a matter of days."

"Really? Not seconds?" Sonic was only playing around, but the cruel reality started taking its toil on Sonic's demeanor.

Shadow closed his eyes, and smiled. Looking up he seemed to continue to mock Sonic's behavior. "It will only take seconds to start invading… Once I destroy you in a matter of a moment." He drew his sword from its sheath. "You are the last of the Chaos Kingdom Blood Line… and today, Sonic The Hedgehog, you meet the Prince of Conquest."

"..Conquest?"

"For a new legend will be made this day! A legend where I, Shadow the immortal prince, takes over and claims the Chaos Kingdom!" His horse reared up as he charged.

"Over my dead body!" Sonic drew his sword, and his horse began to charge as well.

"That's what I intend to make sure of!" Shadow clenched his teeth, lowering his sword and firing a gun shot.

The shot let out a smoke, as Sonic saw the smoke from afar and quickly saw a small canon ball hit the ground beside him, as his horse lifted his front legs and shook it's head, being spooked by it and halting in place.

"Hmph, it would be too simple!" Shadow muttered to himself, and right before their horses met, he put his sword down and lifted up his foot, hitting Sonic off his horse.

"Offph!" Sonic hit the ground hard, as his horse trampled the ground slightly, uneasy and unsettled by not knowing what was happening.

Shadow jumped off his horse and held his sword to his side, "Get up! This is, by far, the worst battle I've ever encountered of a KING." He swung his sword at Sonic, who rolled to dodge as he took out his own sword, and held it with both hands.

Shadow looked down at his hands, and looked up. "What are you..? A babe?" he asked, and hit the sword lightly. "Hold your sword like a man! With one hand!"

"Err..!" Sonic Felt insulted, "Don't tell me what to do!" He charged forward, as Shadow expertly dodged him and clanged his sword with his own.

"Eggman was right… you are too inexperienced… this was the best time to attack." Shadow thought a moment. "You're father makes you seem like a an ant compared to him."

"Grr.. SHUT UP!" Sonic launched another attack, hitting his sword against his and swinging as much as he could with what he knew.

He had trained long and hard before, and as a kid, dreamed of the day he would triumph over the legendary immortal prince… but being here now….

"Auh!" He was flung away by Shadow's expertise.

"Hmph, you are merely a boy." He ran into him with his blade, and then tripped Sonic as he fell and placed his blade to near his face.

Sonic breathed heavily, as Shadow let out a huff from his noise.

"This battle is shameful, insulting, and just plain boring…" he glared at Sonic, and then looked away. "a hundred generations and this was their fate? A overly confident child who can't even hold a sword with one hand?"

Sonic grinned, "Heh."

Shadow suddenly began very confused, his eyes widening.

"Or maybe that's what I wanted you to think." Sonic spun his legs up, hitting Shadow's sword away as it was now in his hand.

"What on earth..!?" Shadow was disarmed! "What kind of offensive move was that?!"

"I call it, dancing!" Sonic grinned, "And it's not a tactical move to say the least!" he then rushed over to his sword, using his super speed, and held both swords to Shadow, as he slowly moved back.

"I was deceived… you are more clever than you let on…" Shadow narrowed his eyes, but smiled. "I truly am impressed."

"Heheh! Good!" Sonic responded, and motioned to Shadow's horse. "Now, slap your horse's butt back to the city."

"..I beg your pardon?" Shadow raised an eyebrow.

"Send your horse away. I'm taking you back as a prison of the Chaos Kingdom." Sonic grinned.

"…Did he say what I think he just said?" Knuckles gaped, in all the legends of old, no king had ever CAPTURED the prince and put him as a prisoner before. "YOU FOOL! HE'S KILLED YOUR FAMILY FOR CENTURIES! KILL HIM!"

"What's the fun in that?" Sonic responded, as Shadow looked even more intrigued at his thinking. "Nah, I'm gonna make him stand trial."

"A trail?"

"A TRAIL!?"

"Yep! And we'll go over all his crimes, so he can hear each of my ancestors names… and each of the men he's murdered in cold blood… and then… then he'll hear his sentence." Sonic's tone suddenly turned cold and serious, as he suddenly held himself differently.

The look on Sonic's face stopped Shadow, as he looked down and closed his eyes, grinning. "Now I see your family in your face." He stated, and looked up, seeming more and more interested by this new king. "You are indeed an... particular kind of king… but it's nice to see the gene pool has changed. You're family didn't produce just cowards yet."

That last insult was too much, as Sonic's eyes widened and rage built in him. He clamped down his teeth and narrowed his eyes as he went for an attack. "AGHH!"

Shadow skillfully dodged, and grabbed his sword back by hitting Sonic's shoulder and then stomping his hand down to the ground.

Moving himself back toward his horse, he smiled. "Until we meet again, King.. Soinc." He jumped on his horse and rode back, as Knuckles started hollering something at Sonic, as he got up and looked behind and followed Shadow with his eyes.

"Man…" he held his arm and rubbed it slightly, before hearing Knuckles more clearly.

"-BOTS. HE WAS STALLING FOR HIS ROBOTS!" Knuckles yelled, as Sonic looked up, seeing a herd of them flying across the sky toward Angel Island.

"Wha…the…" Sonic had never seen ANYTHING but birds fly in the sky, and he slowly moved backwards in his shock, watching the robots suddenly fly back with a huge green emerald, one he recognized was the Master Emerald. "Oh no!" he exclaimed, before being scooped up by Knuckles as they raced back, his horse falling the other as instinct told it too run with the herd.

Sonic returned to the castle, as Knuckles pushed him inside and lifted his head off from the ground. "ARE YOU INSANE!? HE COULD OF KILLED YOU! And then where would we be?! Without my Master Emerald and without MY KING!" he let him go and walked on, before turning around and pointing an accusing finger at him. "What were you thinking.. are you for real!? Heh, I can't believe this.. you thought you could just take down a century old prince?! Whose very life centers around killing your family and their armies!?" Knuckles was completely in an uproar, as Tails rushed into the room.

"Sonic! You're okay! Knuckles!"

"YOU IMBESIBLE!"

"Ah… Knuckles."

Tails lowered his eyelids in disappointment, remembering how Knuckles was and what he usually did, speak _loudly_.

"I was trying to save the day." Sonic stated, getting up and feeling pretty beaten up by Knuckles's words, and feeling the pain of what Shadow did to him today, not just on his body… but on his honor and family's honor as well.

"Really? Is that what you were doing? Cause all I saw was some kid getting beat up on the playgrounds sandlot!" Knuckles spat out another insult, and took his helmet off and threw it on the ground, "DANG IT! They now have the Master Emerald! Just think of what they could do with it's power! They'll pollute her!" he kicked his helmet like a football as it went flying and ricocheted off the wall and hit a guard who was standing in his assigned position. A guard had to run up and take his place, not even bothering to move the body.

"Next time, when you lead an army, _lead it_. You left us cold turkey, Sonic! What king does that! You were selfish, overly confident, and stupid today! That's not how you're father would of lead!"

"Yeah? Well maybe I'm not my father!" Sonic got up, yelling right back at Knuckles. "And don't you forget that I took out a line of robots! I saved your men, huh? All you guys!" Sonic turned around, now addressing the men, before turning back to Knuckles. He opened his arms, as if desperate for some praise. "Huh? Isn't that good?"

Knuckles looked away, "Not good enough." He stated, and walked on, as his men followed him, giving glances to Sonic before following their beloved General.

"..I.. I just want one moment… one praise, Tails. Come on." Sonic looked exhausted, turning to Tails as he just stared at him, and looked down.

"..I'm glad you weren't killed, Sonic. I'm glad you all came back… but you have to remember that so many men died today…" Tails tried to say something but couldn't restrain himself from the cold truth.

"…But?" Sonic looked hurt, seeing as Tails couldn't even find something to praise him with.

"Well… rushing out to challenge the prince was suicide!" Tails shouted out, as Sonic just shook his head and held his hand out to him, not wanting him to come near him. "Sonic!"

"Just… just leave me alone, Tails…"

"I know you wanted to help but-"

"_**BUT**__! BUT, BUT, BUT_!" Sonic finally lost it, stomping on the ground and throwing his robe off, tossing his crown as he left the room, walking angrily away.

Amy rushed up to Sonic, smiling and hugging him as he walked by the hall she just came from. "Oh, Sonic! You're okay!" she cried out, "I'm so glad you're alive!"

Sonic didn't have the energy to pull her away right away, and just looked sadly down at her. "Yeah… a great miracle." He looked away.

Amy pulled back, her smile fading as she moved his face back to look at her. "What's wrong?"

"…I…I can't do anything right!" he moved her hand away and pushed her off of him, moving on. "I just wanted to help… why can't they see that!" he vented, but didn't want to hurt Amy for no reason.

"…But… didn't you win?" Amy asked, as Sonic looked at her over his shoulder, and then sadly to the ground.

"Apparently not." He stated, and scratched his head before holding it with his hand. "Apparently… I'm nothing like my father.." he was being to slightly choke up, looking up and feeling himself loose his cool.

"..Sonic?"

"Leave me be." He walked on.

"…Sonic!"

"I SAID LEAVE ME!" he screamed back and ran quickly away.

Sonic found one of his old hiding spots when he was a kid, and just hung his head down, holding his legs up against him on the ground, as he heard the door squeak open, and Vanilla lower her head down after adjusting her dress to be able to kneel down to him behind the large open dresser cabinet. Shaped to be a large square, it was easy for him to just slide in and curl up there…

"You're wrong, Vanilla… I'll never be a good king." He stated, looking away from her. "I'll just be a child… a stupid… stupid child."

"…Sonic." She started, her voice calm and easy to hear her motherly love in it. "Come here… there's no shame in saving those men. You may have lost the Master Emerald, but you can retrieve it once more."

"Am I the first king to loose it…" his voice was low, but Vanilla could hear what was to come.

"…Sonic-"

"AM I THE FIRST?!" he looked up, glaring at her to answer him, breathing hard.

"…I wouldn't think so." She lightly let out, as his eyes turned more gently, and he held back his tears as he came out.

"Vanilla… I didn't mean to-… I-"

"I know." She embraced him, as he just let himself fall into her arms. "I know…"

In that moment, Sonic wished his mother was still alive. He could hear her speaking words of wisdom and throwing a joke in there to make him laugh.

She would of given him what he needed… Something more than praise… she would of given him _comfort_. Comfort that… that he could be a good king.

"Mistakes happen."

Sonic woke up, his eyes blinked a bit at the morning light as Amy knelt beside his bed, looking sadly toward him, and he could still see the scars she must of carried from being yelled directly at yesterday.

"..Amy..?" he felt bad, already matching the voice to the blurry image from the sun and just waking up to the light, trying to adjust his eyes to it, he rubbed them.

"I think you did wonderfully." She stated, and looked back up at him, and tilted her head into a closed-eyed smile. "I think you scared the prince, impressed your men, and saved many, many lives. But all things come at a cost, and sometimes… that's all people can see. Is what they've lost, not what they've gained." She moved a little closer and placed a delicate hand on his own, as he slightly leaned up, looking down at her hand, and then back at her.

"You've gained experience today. You're no longer a fool." She continued. "You know what you have to do to be a good king,… and you know what your people expect of you. It's up to you now on what to do." She removed her hand and got up, holding her arm which just happened to be the hand that was holding her retrieved key to his bedroom's door.

"…Where did you..?" he saw the key and looked confused at it.

"…Do you want to grow up and be king, Sonic?"

Sonic suddenly had a flashback but quickly shook it off.

"What?"

"…Sorry for waking you up. Vanilla said I might be able to help you, so she wanted me to tell you while no one else would know we've spoken. Goodni-Ah! I mean, day." She smiled and walked out the door.

"H..Hey wait."

She had already closed the door.

"…ugh."

He leaned back and let his arm come over his head, falling back to his pillow as he turned to the side, looking out the window where his balcony was and seeing the sunrise. He closed his eyes and thought about it…

"…Yeah.." he muttered, looking down. "I think I do." He looked back up toward the sun.

Then, he got up and let the sun's rays hit his frame and stated more seriously,

"_I will be a good king."_

Sonic seems determined to succeed, but Eggman now has the Master Emerald! The whole kingdom depends on the blessings of the Master Emerald and the Chaos Emeralds! With the Chaos Emeralds still in the safety of the Chaos Kingdom, what will befall of _this _legend? And will Sonic… ever prove his worth?


End file.
